Isles Deal Niederreiter to Wild for Clutterbuck

All signs pointed to the Minnesota Wild trading fan-favorite Cal Clutterbuck, which happened early in the proceedings at the NHL Draft.

The Wild sent Clutterbuck and a 3rd round pick in the draft to the New York Islanders in exchange for 6-foot-2, 208-pound forward Nino Neiderreiter.

Neiderreiter was the fifth overall selection in the 2010 Draft, but hadn't broken through much at the NHL-level. He recorded one goal and two assists in 64 games with the Islanders.

However, the 20-year-old has posted big offensive numbers in the minor leagues. He scored 28 goals (T-6 in AHL) and 22 assists in 74 games last season with Brigdeport of the AHL. He also posted 36 and 41-goal seasons with Portland in the WHL prior to being drafted.

"El Nino" also led Switzerland with five goals in the 2013 Men’s World Hockey Championship helping the Swiss win the silver medal, their first medal of any kind at the event in 60 years.

A native of Switzerland, Neiderreiter has one year remaining on a two-way contract that would pay him $2.795M if he were to play a full season with the Wild next year. He is scheduled to become a restricted free agent after the 2013-14 season.

Clutterbuck departs the Wild after a 10-point (4g, 6a) campaign in 2013. He led the Wild with 155 hits in his 42 games played. Clutterbuck led the NHL in hits for three consecutive seasons from 2008-09 to 2010-11, setting a then-NHL record with 356 hits during the 2008-09 campaign.

In his 346 career games over six seasons with the Wild, 25-year-old Clutterbuck scored 110 points on 62 goals and 48 assists.